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Medina Valley Independent School District
Medina Valley
Independent School District
C.I.&A » Gifted/Talented

Gifted/Talented

If you are new to the district and your child has previously been identified as gifted, please let us know by sending their name and student id to Ellen Gay, G/T Specialist, at [email protected].

 

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The elementary schools of Medina Valley ISD, will begin the annual process of identifying gifted and talented students in Kindergarten - 5th grades. Kindergarten referrals will be accepted until December 31st, and referrals for students in 1st-5th grades are accepted until January 31st. Parents, teachers and any other person familiar with the student’s exemplary academic skills may refer a student for further evaluation. Parents of students in Grades 1-5 can join us for a Gifted/Talented Parent Awareness Meeting on Wednesday, January 10, 2023 at the MVISD Higher Learning Center from 5:30-6:30 for more information. Referrals can be made by contacting Ellen Gay at [email protected].

About Us
 
Medina Valley Independent School District provides a gifted and talented program that is academic in nature and is designed to enhance the educational opportunities for students exhibiting exceptional academic abilities. Scheduling of program activities will be established and coordinated through the GT Specialists in collaboration with campus administration and teachers to fully maximize the opportunities for each gifted student.
 
All teachers in the district have met the G/T state requirements in order to provide differentiated instruction that utilizes the following instructional strategies: curriculum compacting, tiered assignments, flexible grouping, and independent research projects. In addition, the GT Specialist will support teachers through a job-embedded coaching model.
 
 
Our Mission
 
Our mission is to provide an innovative & challenging learning environment that offers our highest achieving students the opportunity to grow academically and think critically & creatively about complex issues, as well as develop advanced products & performances in hopes that they will use their abilities to be leaders and valuable contributors to a diverse and competitive 21st-century society.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assessment & Identification Process
 
Gifted and talented students are identified according to the state’s definition of giftedness.

“A gifted and talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area, possesses an unusual capacity for leadership, or excels in a specific academic field.” Texas Education Code, Subchapter D, 29.121
 
 
The identification process consists of three steps:
  1. Referral of students for the program (this can be by a parent, teacher, campus administrator, or self)
  2. Assessment of students using appropriate assessment instruments
  3. Selection of students using a district profile for whom the gifted program is an appropriate educational placement
Data is collected from multiple sources to determine possible placement in the gifted program. The following assessments are utilized:
 
  • General Abilities Test
  • Cognitive Abilities Test
  • Achievement Test
 
Per the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, Section 1.5.1C: Data collected from multiple sources for each area of giftedness served by the district are included in the assessment process for gifted/talented services (19 TAC §89.1(2)).

MVISD will utilize a universal screener for all 2nd graders in the district to identify those who are potentially gifted. If any indicators are present, the student will be referred for further testing.
 
Referrals for G/T identification assessment can be made based on the following dates. Please contact your child's teacher, campus G/T contact, or a G/T Specialist to refer a student.
 
 
Information for transfer students, who were identified as Gifted by their previous district, will be reviewed throughout the year based on when the student transferred into the district and when the identification information is received from the prior district.
 
 
Contact Information
 
For more information see documents below or contact
 
Ellen Gay
G/T Specialist
 
Important Documents
G/T Options
 

Elementary Students

  • Differentiated coursework in core curriculum areas
  • Advanced level product & enrichment activities
  • G/T Specialist support
  • G/T Students are cluster grouped
  • UIL competitions

Middle School Students

  • Honors courses
  • UIL competitions
  • Electives to embrace problem solving and critical thinking skills
  • Collaborative advance level product

High School Students

  • Honors/AP courses
  • Dual Credit courses (allows students to earn college credit)
  • UIL competitions
  • Elective classes that align with student interests
  • View the HS course catalog for further explanation of advanced-level courses
  • Guidance counselors available to help with course selections to meet student goals 
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